Bleeding when I poop

Hi guys. I've had what I think is external hemorrhoids for a year or 2 now. They are clearly visible with a mirror. As they've never really caused me any pain I've left them be. Over the last few months, every week or 2, I get alot of bright red blood when I poop. What worries me is that my last bowel movement also seemed to have alot of darker blood mixed in with the bright red blood, and even a huge clot on the paper. I do get grooves in my stool also, which I've heard can be caused by the hemorrhoids. Every symptom I have seems to be related to colon cancer also, which is terrifying. My only calming factor is that I can clearly see that I have hemorrhoids, so a possible, harmless cause is evident. I guess what I'm asking is if it's likely to be anything other than the hemorrhoids causing this, or could I also have those along with something more serious?

  • Hi

    There's only one way to get this sorted and that is to get checked with your GP.

    Leave it to them and don't google.

  • I'm phoning in the morning as my anxiety is through the roof right now. I was just kinda hoping someone else had experienced something similar and could reassure me. 

  • The only way to sort your anxiety too.

    Could be other reasons other than cancer but needs checking.

    Good luck with the GP today, let us know how it goes.

  • As others have said, the only way to be sure if to contact a doctor, as you have presumably done by now. I hope you have had good news but just in case you have to wait for the results of tests or anything and are still worried, I will say that for the last about 5 months, I have been getting rectal bleeding and after about two months developed what I assume was an external hemorrhoid. I was sent for a colonoscopy and they found nothing except for the hemorroids. 

    As in your case, it seemed like all my symptoms led to cancer - rectal bleeding, weight loss, occasional loose stools, trapped wind... Some were probably related to the stress of the whole thing and some just coincidence (I had my thyroid removed just under two years ago and that is probably the cause of the weight loss), but there does also seem to be a certain amount of overlap between the symptoms of hemorrhoids and those of colon cancer. And hemorrhoids are far more common. If the 35 in your username refers to your age and you can actually see something that looks like a hemorrhoid or hemorrhoids, I would say that is very much the most likely explanation. I am 40 and the specialist told me that at my age, the chances of cancer were very low indeed. Admittedly, I didn't have any dark blood or clots, but I did have other symptoms like weight loss. 

    However, it is possible to have hemorrhoids along with more serious issues (which doesn't necessarily mean cancer; dark blood can be caused by other things like IBD, which would be way more likely among under 50s, as well), so it does need to be checked.

    Again, I hope you've had good news by now that makes this comment unnecessary.

  • I have similar symptoms to you including 3 episodes of dark red blood including clots, around 18 months ago I do have visible piles from childbirth but they never bother me, I went to the gp who advised me to take a fit test why he was negative Oksy booodwork which all came back okay, 

    I have had really bad tunny pain for constipation and loose stools for 3 weeks but my gp seems unconcerned 

    I have had another 3 rounds of bloods and an ultrasound and awaiting another fit test result. 
    I have decided to see a private colorectal consultant which us scedualed for Wednesday as I felt my gp want listening to me given I am only 29 and prescribed antidepressants for anxiety Instead. Of course I am anxious but my symptoms are very real x

  • Sorry to hear your gp isn't taking this seriously. I hope mine understands my concerns as it's driving me mad. Please let me know what your results are. Fingers crossed for you it's just harmless piles being a literal pain in the ***.

  • Quick update. Just got back from GP. He said I have some pretty significant hemorrhoids and that the rectal examination was perfectly fine. Bloods tomorrow. He said he's confident that my symptoms are caused by some kind of IBS combined with the hemorrhoids, but I may still need a camera at some point. Pretty relieving to hear, but one thing struck me as odd. I told him about the different types of stool I was having, thin, flat, grooved etc, and he said that those types of stool being linked to anything dangerous was a myth. Is that actually true???

  • Hey I am SO glad to hear that you've had some reassuring news I'm really pleased for you. 
    I think that previously they did link flat or thin poop to bowel cancer but new research suggests that isn't the case, and pikes can definitely cause your stool to look grooved and ibs can change the appearance of it to. 
    Fingers crossed that your blood tests come back okay too. Have they suggested a fit test yet? X

  • Thankyou. It's definitely helped ease my anxiety. No fit test was scheduled, just the bloods. He said he's confident of IBS and piles, so I'm assuming the bloods are to rule out anything else. He said a camera may still need to happen though, which isn't a pleasant thought. Apart from that, it was up my fibre and drink more water. Fingers crossed the bloods come back normal and I can proceed with treatment for IBS.